There are a lot of factors to consider when using a water-fed system and pole to ensure you and your team stay safe. Here are some recommendations and best practices from the IWCA and OSHA Alliance. 

*The following information is meant for informational purposes only. It does not necessarily reflect the official views of OSHA or the U.S. Dept. of Labor.

TRAINING AND COMPETENCE

All water-fed pole operators should be suitably trained and competent. A competent person may be defined as a designated person suitably trained or qualified by knowledge and practical experience. The goal of being properly trained is to allow you to:

• Carry out your required duties at your level of responsibility
• Fully understand any potential hazards related to your work
• Detect any defects or omissions in your work
• Recognize any implications for health and safety
• Be able to specify appropriate remedial action needed including refusal to perform the work if the risk is too great
• Know your limitations
• Feel empowered to ask for help
• Identify broken or potential issues with equipment before use

RISKS

RISK ASSESSMENT

The purpose of risk assessment is simply to identify particular risks on any job in order to take precautions to minimize them. Risk assessment should be conducted by a superior on your team before your you arrive at the job site. This step allows for hazards or risks to be identified and steps to eliminate or minimize them to be set in place. 

• Instruction for the operator to be vigilant with regard to the work area surroundings
• Provide adequate PPE and/or roof edge protection or other safety systems
• Give consideration to the day and time of cleaning for worker safety, vehicular traffic, pedestrian traffic, etc
• Provision of high-visibility clothing
• Barricading off work areas to prevent public access
• Awareness for adverse weather conditions

AVOIDING RISK

The use of water-fed poles removes the need to work at height for windows that can be viewed from the ground without obstruction. Although this eliminates the risk of ladders and lifts, it introduces new operational and other risks that apply to water-fed pole use.

TYPES OF HAZARDS

Identifying hazards for both the pole operator and the general public is an important step to the window cleaning process. 

Operator Hazards

• Electrocution - from contact or close proximity to overhead power lines
• Adverse weather - wind contributes to falling poles
• Slip Hazards - from wet pathways
• Trip Hazards - from an unorganized work zone
• Vehicle Hazards - from overloading, unstable, unsecured, or improperly installed equipment in the work vehicle.
• Falls - resulting from working on flat roofs
• Injury - from incorrect manual handling of poles and other equipment
• Falling Equipment - from improperly installed brushes and accessories

General Public Hazards

• Injury to others from falling poles
• Trip hazards from trailing hoses

Electrical Hazards

One should use great caution when working near electrical sources. We have an entire article dedicated just to proper PPE and site assessment.

If the water source for your water fed pole system is pump driven and requires electricity to operate, it is important that the electrical connections and electrical source remain dry at all times. This includes the following considerations:

• Keep the extension cord for the pump away from pooling and spouting water.
• Ensure the pump's electrical system is GFCI protected. Test this device before each use to ensure it is functioning correctly.
• Keep the extension cord and power supply away from pedestrian traffic. 
• Barricade your work area to ensure that pedestrians are directed away from your work area.

Adverse Weather

Take special care when working with your water fed pole in adverse weather conditions such as:

• High Winds
• Rain
• Lightning Storms
• Freezing Temperatures

It is time to stop working in adverse weather conditions when YOU feel that it is unsafe to work. This could mean 5 mph winds or 15 mph. It depends on your level of experience and comfort. 

Slip and Fall

Any surface that becomes slippery when wet must be identified with appropriate signage to direct pedestrians and workers away from your work area. During winter time, it is especially important to avoid any water pooling as it could turn to ice in freezing temperatures. Waste (reject) water from your purification system should be properly disposed of as it can cause a hazard when left unmanaged. Consider directing the flow into landscaping or off the path of pedestrians. 

Road Safety

Journeys to and from the workplace and job sites are subject to documented risk assessment. To assess road safety risks, consideration should be given to:

• The design of water treatment systems and delivery tanks
• The manufacture of the water treatment systems and delivery tanks
• The installation and anchorage of water treatment systems and delivery tanks
• The payload capacity of the vehicle and the potential of overloading
• The security of water-fed poles, hose reels, and ancillaries, etc
• Driving conditions and braking distances

Ensure DI Tanks and RO Carts are properly secured to the trailer or truck bed. 

Steps to Reduce Fatigue

There are many ways you can help to cut down on the workload required from your body; from choosing the right equipment for the job to working techniques. Try these tips to keep from fatiguing your muscles.

• Operate poles with greater use of your legs instead of your arms by stepping a single stride back and forward. 
• Share the work with other members of your team and switch off handling the pole as needed to reduce fatigue. 
• Switch between the left-hand side of your body to the right as you work to prevent overworking one side. 
• Take regular breaks from pole work to do other tasks.
• Take periodic breaks from all activities to let your body have a short recovery.
• Do not scrub or rinse sideways with any pole above 10 feet as this puts dangerous pressure on your spine.
• Rotate the pole from one side of the brush to the other as you hop over window frames and mullions to reduce fatigue. This lets you keep the weight of the brush on the glass. 
• Poles over 30' must be lowered prior to moving around a corner of a building since it can be easy to lose control of the pole at height. 
• All motions should be confined to the waist and shoulder region. Avoid extending your arms above the height of your shoulders. 

Lone Working

Any employee that works by themselves, without close contact with co-workers or direct supervision is considered a "lone worker". This does not apply to self-employed window cleaners. Lone workers should be regularly checked on. Be sure to establish a contact system. Avoid a lone worker situation in areas that involve increased risk to safety such as on a busy street or near an electrical hazard.

Working in Exposed Positions

An Exposed Position is defined as working in the same position for an extended period of time. You can mitigate the possibility of an accident from working in an exposed position by utilizing a partner. That person can help to identify risky work surfaces, assist with managing hose and equipment to prevent tripping, and direct pedestrians or traffic away from your work area. This also allows you to have your full concentration on your work and prevents incidents caused by being distracted. 

Reduce the opportunity for accidents while working in exposed positions by: 

• Taking regular breaks
• Tidying up work areas
• Assessing your work area to identify potential hazards.

If you're working alone and in an exposed position, it is important to stop working and notify a supervisor.

GEAR

Choosing Your Equipment

Here are the key factors you should take into consideration when picking the tools for the job.

• Duration and extent of the work
• Height of the windows
• Condition of the site
• Means of purified water delivery required

It's important to choose a water fed pole that isn't overkill for the job at hand. For example, you don't want a 50' pole to work on 20' high windows. That only causes you to manage additional, unnecessary weight. Options from the Micro Series of water fed poles allow you to drop sections you don't need for the job. Or the Destroyer utilizes extensions for additional length. The goal is to have your pole adequately reach the top of the windows, but not over-reach. 

Maintaining Your Pole & System

It's important to properly care for your water fed pole to ensure it doesn't become a hazard on the job. You should visually inspect it before use to look for any cracks or defects in the carbon fiber or clamps. Management should also conduct regular, documented inspections of the pole that monitor the degree of use based on the type of pole. Any defects that are found during inspections should be remedied before further use, or the entire pole should be replaced.

Waterfed poles that are in disrepair require more physical effort to operate. 

It's equally important to visually look over your purification system before use, especially when it has electrical components such as a pump. It's imperative to ensure all of the electrical components are operating properly and the GFCI is working correctly. Also check that any extension cords have not been damaged and appear in good condition.

Handling Your Water Fed Pole

There are two ways to extend your pole when you first get to the site to clean windows:

Vertical Extension - This is the recommended way to extend your water fed pole. You extend the sections of the pole vertically as it rests against the building you will be working on. This allows for a single user to raise the pole.

Horizontal Extension - This method requires two people for raising the pole from the ground to an upward position. It is done by one person footing the base of the pole while the other walks it into a vertical position.

There are also two ways to handle the pole while you clean windows:

Arms - Using just your arms is a perfectly acceptable method for poles that are under 30' as they are generally light enough to not cause extreme fatigue and stress on your body.

Legs/Full Body - When you start to work with poles over 30', you need to use your entire body for proper cleaning technique. Utilizing your legs and body to rock the pole up and down distributes the weight better.

When working with a water fed pole, it's important to consider how the weight of the pole is being displaced onto the facade of the building and not on the user of the pole. The recommended ratio is 1:3. It's important that not too much pressure is applied to the building that it causes strain on the body and prevents optimal cleaning results.

DO's & DON'Ts 

• Do identify defects and hazards that may compromise safety
• Do carry out pre-use checks of equipment
• Do tag and take out-of-service equipment that is defective and/or damaged
• Do cordon off and/or display suitable warning signs when working in public areas
• Do cover up extension cords to prevent trip hazards
• Don't use a defective water-fed pole
• Don't use a water fed pole near overhead power lines
• Don't use a water fed pole system if the GFCI is not working properly
• Don't use an extension cord that is damaged or severed
• Don't leave excess hose and equipment lying around your work area

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Meet the Author: Chris spends his time helping to design and bring the newest and best water fed window cleaning tools to the market through XERO. From new brushes, to the latest in safety innovations, he stands committed to offering window cleaners premium gear at affordable prices.